Boas

Today's blog post is all about boas and the boidae family, the variations, size, colours and why they make great pets. I myself am a huge fan of sand boas as they do not grow overly large. Boas also are one of the only snakes that give birth to live young. They are closely related to pythons and are considered primitive. They are found living in Asia, America, Africa and Europe.

Boas are different from pythons because: 

1. Their heat pits are between the scales as opposed to on them.
2. They give birth to live young.
3. They do not have premaxillary teeth or postfrontal bones.

Boas are constrictors like most non-venomous snakes and kill their prey by asphyxiation, which means they coil around their prey and tighten their muscles to stop the heart working. Depending on the size of boa depends on it's prey item, some will feed on small rodents and others can eat prey the size of a house cat or tapirs. 

Green Anaconda

The largest boa in the world is an anaconda, averaging 17ft in length and weighing 200lbs. They currently have the record for being the largest living snake. The largest snake remains ever found was of Titanoboa, a type of boa that lived 60-58 million years ago, estimated to be 40-50ft and weighed up to 2500lbs. Smaller boas are available in pet shops and one of the most common is a Kenyan Sand Boa. Fully grown they normally max out a 3ft. There is a great variety of boas available to keep as pets. They include: red tail boa, common boa, amazon tree boa, rainbow boa, green anaconda and yellow anaconda to name just a few.

Housing

When keeping a reptile, housing is vital. There are many options available for housing a snake and depending on the size of the animal depends on the size of the housing. Larger snakes like anacondas may need a custom built viv due to their large size and this will need to be heated with a ceramic source. An amazon tree boa will need a branch in their enclosure due to them being tree dwellers and they too require a ceramic heat source. A kenyan sand boa, will only need 2ft x 1.5ft vivarium when they are adults and this can be heated with a heat mat. Due to sand boas mostly burying themselves, they will need extra bedding. Like all reptiles, hides may need to added and of course they will need fresh water daily.

Kenyan Sand Boa

Safety

Some breeds of boa are more placid than others, a few others can be more aggressive and are not recommended for beginners, for example, amazon tree boas. Larger breeds of snake should always be approached with caution. Like with Burmese and reticulated pythons, never handle alone in case the feeding response is triggered. If you are bitten, the snake may not let go and in this case, use tongue suppressors and pour a cold drink, preferably juice, into their mouths so they dislodge. Also use a hook when handling. Safety is vital.

Morphs

Like most captive bred snakes, boas are available with many colour options and mutations. Amazon tree boas come in many different variations that have been proven including tiger and orange phase. You can also get dwarf boas if you are concerned with their size but are still an impressive animal. Other boas have various morphs and I have listed a few below. 

Blood Boa

Orange Phase Tree Boa

Tiger Tree Boa

Sunglow Albino Jungle Boa